The Holder of Prehistory
He stares out over the horizon of his personal world, his palace; it stretches just beyond the mouth of the cave, which is also his. He is the Holder of Prehistory, and this is his domain. His white hair, elongated with the span of eternities, sways in the wind. He takes a seat in his throne, observing all that belongs to him, as you traverse the sidewalk toward a small cave. This cave changes, for it is in any city, in any country, all at once. He watches you with intrigue, for the last who attempted this was lost to his challenge, and he pitied them for it. He is not the typical Holder, anxious for your death and subsequent torture. Nay, all this Holder truly wishes out of his now hopeless life is to see just one Seeker, such as yourself, complete his challenge and emerge successful. He hopes you will not let him down. He has been most displeased with the attempts of the past. When you enter the cave, he leans in close, holding his breath, for he understands what is to come and believes you are worthy of his Object. If he did not believe this, the cave would have swallowed you already in darkness and torment. Once you are inside, he carefully observes your every movement, every choice you make, every thought that runs through your mind. As you speak the words "I wish to speak to the Holder of Prehistory," he allows you safe passage into his cave. He wishes for you to keep Them apart, not bring Them together. Yet you are not punished for either desire. As you walk down the tunnel he created, his head swivels up, and he stands from his throne. He stands in blank darkness on the other side of the cave walls, unseen by any being who does not look for him. He is interested in the fact that you do not, for many a Seeker has failed by doing so in the past. He screams, screams very hard for you to ignore the scribblings now etched onto the cave walls. Your journey brings you through the longest cave that ever existed, telling you of every atrocity and every horrific event in the history of mankind and beyond. First, he stands outside the cave paintings and tell you to turn back. He wishes for you to press onward, but They command him to say otherwise. He despises Them. Progressively, the messages and paintings on the cave wall become more and more ornate, until they are lurching out at you, scratching your flesh and attempting to devour you. They rip at you until nothing but bone remains, but you dare not look at them. How talented a Seeker you are, he thinks to himself. He continues to scream at you, warning of the perils to come. He deems you brave enough and asks that you not look at either side, for laying eyes on any of the historic beasts that tear into you will merge you with them, and he does not wish for you to die or suffer. You obey his order out of fear. He is beyond impressed, thusly appearing at your side. He walks beside you now, as if you are old friends, and tells you of every historic moment that involved Them: every war, every election, every grand opening that resulted because of Them. He is generous; he wishes to impart all the knowledge he has to you, but he does not want to drive you mad. He is simply teaching you. However, he is commanded once more by Them, to tell you of Their horrors. How They rigged every election, started every war, and bankrupted every new company. You do not let him do this, as you are now standing in his palace, at the end of the cave. He breathes a sigh of relief as you speak the words "A little birdie told me you know Them." This, this is what he has waited for for millenia, as he was once a Seeker just like yourself. Now, as a whithered old man, he stands before you and holds out his hand, placing something against your palm. Observing it, you see it is a small bird's skull. His warm smile flows throughout your body, and as you black out, he tells you his name, and it makes you smile as well. Neither of you have smiled in so long. When you awaken, he has left a message by your bedside, instructing you on how to use the Skull, for it is Object 221 of 538. Dare you turn back time to discover Their secrets?